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There was a degree of irony in her words that neither Lord Cathraiche nor his mother or aunt could have guessed at, but it was enough to make her moan inwardly at the state of her life and attachments.
“You’ve only just arrived, my dear,” Lady Dorrington said, blinking rapidly in surprise at Priya’s sudden rise.
“Are you quite certain all is well, Miss Narayan?” Lady Vegas asked.
The degree of genuine concern in the woman’s eyes—as though she had already decided to accept Priya as her own—was too much.
“I am quite well, my lady,” Priya said breathlessly, curtsying, then turning to go. “I…I am needed elsewhere is all.”
“My son will escort you where you need to go,” Lady Vegas said, gesturing to Lord Cathraiche, who had already risen from his chair, his face a mask of concern.
“That isn’t necessary, my lady,” Priya said, her thoughts and actions distracted as she glanced around for her coat and hat.
“Please, Miss Narayan,” Lord Cathraiche said, following Priya into the hall. “Let me accompany you where you need to go. I could not, in good conscience, leave you to yourself when something has so clearly upset you.”
“I am not upset,” Priya lied. She was grateful to be able to distract herself with fetching her things from the butler. “I am quite well.”
“You are not,” Lord Cathraiche said in a soft voice. He took her coat from the butler and held it for her to don. “I will take you wherever you feel you need to go.”
Priya bit her lip as she fastened her hat back on her head and tucked her reticule clumsily into her pocket. She wouldn’t be able to dissuade Lord Cathraiche, that much was clear. Her only hope was to assure him that she was well. That meant letting him take her somewhere. At the moment, however, she couldn’t think of a place to go that would put him off of what seemed to be his mission to pursue her. At least if she let him drive her somewhere she could have time to think and come up with a plan.
“Alright, my lord, I will allow you to take me to my next call,” she said.
And with any luck, by the time they got there, Lord Cathraiche would have given up on whatever scheme he had to ask more of her than she was at liberty to give.
